My winner is Flossie. Thanks so much, everyone, and I'll see you at the next fun event!

First of all, a big thank you to Smile Somebody Loves You for putting on this hop. Don't you feel all warm and cozy when you hear their blog name? I know I do. They put a lot of work into getting this together so let's give them a big *mwah*!

Everyone seems to be saying the same thing today. Where the heck did 2013 go? It sure went fast, wherever it went. There was good, there was bad, joyful and sad. I'm happy to welcome in 2014 and per the theme of this hop, I want to share what I'm looking forward to in the New Year.

In my writing life, I'd love to see my werewolf series find a home. I plan to finish that and work on several shorter projects also. In my not-so-evil-yet-time-consuming day job, I look forward to continued success and more great clients. In my personal life, I look forward to letting go of negative crap that I feel is blocking good energy. Forgiveness is my goal for the year.

How about you? Is there something you look forward to? Share in my comment box or just say Happy New Year, and you'll be entered to win my prize, your choice of one of my back list Ebooks (that's anything except Awaken the Fire), or a bookmark magnet goodie pack filled with delightful handmade items, if you're in the US or Canada.

Esme began to rub Star’s neck, and Star sighed. Esme's strong hands felt good on Star’s tight muscles. Slipping away to la-la land, Star remembered she had a mission and pulled her mind back to the present. “So, tell me about this party. Is everybody I saw at the dinner table a guest? Where do they come from?” “Yes, they’re all guests from our home planet, Kastra. King Gaius likes to have company at his parties so he invites—” Esme suddenly stopped. “I’m not supposed to talk to you. I’m sorry. Here, I forgot to turn on the music. You just listen and relax. I'm going to apply a clay facial mask. We'll let it set while I work on your legs and feet. It will help smooth out those blotches in your complexion.” Esme flipped a switch and a melodic, pleasing tune began to play.Do I have a blotchy complexion? Esme needs to talk to those diplomatic relations people. Star knew she would get nothing more from the young pixie, so she let herself drift off and enjoy the experience. Her mind wandered to picture Adam standing naked near the hot tub. She didn’t want to think about that particular scene, she needed to focus on a way to get out of there. But her brain had ideas of its own, and naked Adam would not disappear. It hardly seemed worth the effort to try to think of something else, and he really did look quite divine, so she let her imagination roam. In her fantasy, she rose from the tub to greet him. She had the body of an Olympic athlete, and hair from a shampoo commercial. Her skin was certainly not blotchy and her teeth were white as pearls. There were no annoying pixies around for miles. They hugged, a firm, loving embrace. Both of their bodies were warm. Adam’s hands travelled down her back and caressed her butt, squeezing her firm cheeks. She explored his body, touching every inch of delicious skin she could reach. His cock grew hard and pressed into her stomach and moisture formed between her legs. She stood on her toes and rubbed her pussy against his cock, eliciting a deep moan from him. Their lips met and Star and Adam kissed, not one of those tender, sweet butterfly kisses that drove her crazy with wanting more. This was a hungry, passionate invasion, both of them tasting each other’s mouth, him biting her lower lip to just this side of pain. The kind of kiss that set her mouth on fire and almost left bruises, the kind Star loved. His hand stroked her breast, cupping and squeezing the firm flesh, and just as he lowered his head to suck her aching nipple, Star felt something cold and wet on her cheek. Is that Adam’s tongue? She jumped. “Sorry to startle you. The clay is a little cool at first, but it will warm up,” Esme said. With a sigh, Star’s allowed her mind to drift back to reality. Damn, it had been a good long time since she’d had a daydream like that. Her pussy was wet and wanting, and raw desire throbbed through her body. Even though she was scared, something about this place had awakened her senses. She actually felt more alive and vibrant than she had in a long time. As annoying as Adam was, a deep desire for him coursed through her. His teasing manner in the hot tub had been for her benefit, she was sure, to help her relax and his words had been sincere—he really did think she had a nice body. She would have smiled with pleasure had her face not been solidified by the clay mask. This sensation was a welcome change of pace from the emptiness that had greeted her each day for the past year, and Adam was certainly a delightful break from the men she knew. He was strong and seemed smart, without being a bore. His sense of humour, well, anyone who could keep his wits about him under these circumstances was extraordinary. She found she looked forward to their next encounter, clothed or not.Out of the Ordinary buy links:Totally BoundAmazonBarnes and NobleAll RomanceKobo